Mounting frame unit and manifolding for automatic pilot assemblies



Dec; 7, 1943. I R, M, HEMTZ I 2,336,096

MOUNTING FRAME UNIT AND MANIFOLDING FOR AUTOMATIC PILOT ASSEMBLIES Filed Deb. 12, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORQ Pam/1M f/E/NTZ, BY

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7, 1943. R m-rz 2,336,096

MOUNTING FRAME UNiT AND MANIFOLDING FOR AUTOMATIC PILOT ASSEMBLIES Filed Dec. 12,1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

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Dec. 7, 1943. R, HElNTZ 2 3365096 MOUNTING FRAME UNIT AND MANIFOLDING FOR AUTOMATIC PILOT ASSEMBLIES Filed Dec. 12, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7a 44 SUM WEE: 'i 9 FIFO/V Mm; 1/58 INVEN TOR. fimPfiM/m 7-2 Patented Dec. 7, 1943 T MOUNTING FRAME UNIT AND MANIFOLD- ING FOR AUTOMATIC PILOT ASSEM- BLIES Ralph M. Heintz, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Jack & Heintz, 1110., Bedford, Ohio, a corporaon, o i".

Application December 12, 1942, Serial No. 468,850

2 Claims. ('01. 13778) This invention relates in general to automatic pilots and more particularly to improvements in the mounting frame for the horizon and directional gyro boxes and their assemblies and the m'anifolding for the frame to provide for the distribution of air and oil for operation of the pilot. One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a simple die cast mounting frame to receive the air relays and balanced oil valves as units and a simple compact die cast manifold that will provide suitable passages for the supply of air to the air relays and oil to and from the balanced oil valve and reduce the number of parts and tubing to the minimum.

With the foregoing and other objects in VleW,':

the invention resides in the combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter set forth in the following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments thereof being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the automatic pilot gyro assembly mounting frame showing the air relay and oil valve assemblies mounted thereon and the manifold therefor;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View in section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the oil and air passages leading from the mounting frame manifold to the balanced oil valve and air relay;

Figure 4 is a view in section taken along line 44 of Figure 1, showing the manifold and air intake therefor; and

Figure 5 is a view in section taken through the manifold along line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a view in section taken along line 6-6 of Figure 1 showing the manifold and its passages in detail.

Figure 7 is a schematic view of the assembly including the gyro box, the air relay, the balanced oil valve, the servo piston and the pipe connections therebetween.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the mounting frame for carrying the automatic pilot horizon gyro and directional gyro boxes comprises a unit die casting including a vertical wall I and a base 2. The vertical wall is so constructed as to removably receive the air relay assemblies 3 and balanced oil valve assemblies 4.

In order to provide for the proper supply and circulation of air and oil for the air relays and balanced oil valves, a manifold 5 is provided and which is detachably secured to the base 2 of the mounting frame. This manifold is preferably in the form of a unitary casting for purposes of mass production. Generally, it comprises a channel 6 in its upper face which, when secured to the base of the mounting frame, forms a chamber for receiving and supplying air to the 'air relay under the action of the conventional suction pump. The manifold is further divided intotwo oil passages I and 8, arranged side by side. Passage 1 receives pressure oil from a pipe 9 from the oil pump and delivers it to the balanced oil valves and passage 8 receives the oil discharged from the oil valves and delivers it through a pipe [0 to the conventional oil sump.

As is well known in the automatic pilot art the air relay is vacuum operated under the control of the gyro pickoifs and controls the operation of the balanced oil valve for hydraulically operating the servo motors. The vacuum system extends to two nipples on either side of the air relay diaphragm ll. One of such nipples is shown at l2 with a hose connection [3 and a passage l4 leading to chamber [5 in the air relay for exhausting the air in that chamber upon operation of the air pickoffs. The two air relay chamhers I 5 and I6 are provided with restricted air inlets I1 and i8 communicating with the air chamber 6 of the manifold 5 which communicates with the directional gyro box through a cast-in passage I9 and with the horizon gyro box through a cast-in passage 20 of the mounting frame. Leading from the manifold air chamber 6 is a cast-in passage 2! communicating with a pipe 22 that leads to a suitable air filter drawing air at atmospheric pressure. Pipes 23 and 24 lead respectively from the sealed directional and horizon gyro boxes, carried by the mounting frame, to a suitable vacuum pipe and regulator, the source of energy of the vacuum system regulated by the gyro air pickoffs.

The hydraulic system is controlled by the oil valve assemblies 4, two of which are in conjunction with the horizon gyro for aileron and elevator control and one of which is the directional gyro valve for rudder control. As stated before, the valves are controlled by the air relays through a connection 25 between the air relay shaft 26 and the valve shaft 21 and moved under the influence of the movements of the diaphragm II. The construction of the oil valve assemblies 4 may be any one of those well known in the automatic pilot art for the purpose of operating the airplane control surface operating servo motors. In the interest of simplification of structure and die cast manufacture and mass production, the same die cast manifold not only serves as an air manifold but an oil manifold for the hydraulic system. Pressure oil from a suitable oil pump is led into the intake passage 1 of the manifold 5 through a pipe 9.

From the oil manifold passage 7, oil is forced through pipes 29 into the cylinders of the oil valve assemblies 4 midway between the outlet pipes 30 and 3| leading to opposite sides of the pistons of the cylinders of the usual servo motors.

phragm oil is displaced and discharged from the oil valve cylinders out through pipes 32 into the manifold passage 8 and out through pipe ID to a suitable oil filter and sump in circuit with the oil pump. Pipe 28 connects the oil manifoldt'o a suitable oil pressure gauge while pipes 33co'n-- nect the oil valve cylinders to a suitable servo speed control.

As is conventional practice, the usual automatic pilot assembly includes a gyro box designatedas such in Figure 7, which box is suction operated by means of the air exhaust line. Deviation from set course changes the relationship between-the gyro and the air pickoffs so as to produce a differential of air pressure between the air pickoff pipes 34 and 35 to cause a corresponding flexing of the air relay diaphragm 36 in one direction or the other. Flexing of the diaphragm 3E5 either to the right or to the left, as viewed in Figure 7, brings about a corresponding movement of the balanced oil valve generally indicated at 37 by reason of the connection 38 between the air relay vand the valve. Actuation of the oil valve in one direction or the other creates an unbalance of the piston rod 4|, actuates the appropriate aircraft control surface in one direction or the other.

As the oil valve is operated by the air relay dia i310 The advantages of such a construction and assembly are many in that in the first place the mounting frame and the manifold lend themselves to be die-cast as separate units. and out of such light-weight material as magnesium, thus enabling mass production operations. Moreover, the manifold construction lends itself to simplicity and ease in assembly and. provides for the reduction to the minimum number of exposed {tubing and consequent chance of leakage attending extensive tubing and multipart manifolding.

1. In an automatic pilot, the combination of a gyro box mounting frame and air relay and ba1anced-oil valve assemblies carried thereby, a

manifold releasably secured to said mounting frame, said manifold being made in the form of a single piece casting and having a concave surface to form with said frame an air chamber, connecting tubes therefor leading to and from said air relay, said manifold also having separate chambers for oil and connectingtubes therefor leading to andfromsaid balanced oil valve.

2. In an automatic pilot, the combination of agy-ro box mounting frame and air relay and balanced oil valve assemblies carried thereby, a

manifold releasably secured to said mounting valve.

RALPH M. -HEINTZ. 

